by Scott Coates

In July 2009 a group of friends assembled in Portland, OR, for Smiling Albino Director/Advisor Todd Kuipers’ 40th birthday. The weekend centered around sampling microbrew, but one afternoon in between pints a friend and I discovered something special.

Shawn, from San Francisco, who is the last guy you’d expect to end up at a Haberdasher, out of nowhere said, “I need a Panama hat.” A few minutes later he had directions to a men’s store that sold hats. A ten minute stroll and we came upon John Helmer, a Haberdashery established in 1921. The shop is still family owned, in its third generation. I’d heard of such shops but had never been in one. And in through the door we went.

A well-dressed man in his late-twenties, with a dashing bowtie gave us a warm greeting immediately and asked how he could help. Shawn expressed his need for a Panama hat and that’s where things began. We were then schooled in Panamas, different weaves, natural and manmade fabrics and more. Who knew there was so much to a Panama hat?! The best part was the salesperson’s vast knowledge of product, extremely welcoming demeanor and incredibly helpful spirit. The two of us were by no means dressed to be in a fine men’s store, but you would have thought we were wearing three-piece suits by the way we were treated. He spent the next 30 minutes showing us hats, answering (silly no doubt) questions about hats, giving us his opinion of how we looked in hats and on it went.

With two hats in-hand each we drifted to the suit section and I was mesmerized when I laid eyes on the Seersucker Suit. This was a suit for hot locations. This was a suit for those with something to say. This was a suit for the tropics. This was a suit for me! The salesperson told me lots about the suit, helped me try it on and assured me I could pull off wearing it. One small problem, they didn’t have it in a 44 Short. A quick phone call and he offered to have it ordered and mail it to Bangkok for a nominal $50US fee.

The experience at John Helmer was one of old class and tradition that I’d

My Seeksucker

never experience before. It transported me back to a time when men were gentlemen and they went to stores with style. A time when men treated one another with respect and offered thought and touch to making every man look his best. Hats-off to the Helmer team for an incredible experience! If you’re ever in Portland and in need of fine men’s clothing or a neat experience, be sure to drop in.

Back in Bangkok I eagerly await the arrival of the Seersucker and strutting my stuff on Bangkok streets.

Chatuchak on a canal – with a little more style

Vintage Amphawa, circa 2009

Last Sunday, Nan (our UK-Thai intern-connoisseur-culture-guru-food-master) and I took a quick trip down to Amphawa in Samut Songkram province. The town of Amphawa has become a local darling amongst Thais as a nostalgic step back in time to the dreamy canal life of early 20th central Thailand. Apparently 60 years ago the town was a thriving site for canal-side, a predecessor to our modern – and slightly more commercialized – floating markets. Part of the appeal is that it reports to be uncorrupted by commercialism like so many other aesthetically-challenged market attractions in Thailand. So, after much heralded fanfare we finally went down the check out the fuss.

The town of Amphawa itself is non-descript, except for those nice canal-side lanes and of course the buzzing commercial center along the narrow stretch of the Mae Khlong River. This is the Amphawa that everyone is talking about. On a busy weekend this single stretch of canal, straddled on both sides with shops galore, food galore, and floating seafood hawkers galore, could almost be described as Chatuchak on water, but with a little more style. A quick walk through the main retail strip revealed no one selling English Premier League jerseys. We really liked it!

The old market strip

There are a few spots around town that suffer some chaotic weekend traffic, but not like Bangkok. Visitors are mostly Bangkokians escaping the congestion and street-side retail madness of the city for the canal-side retail madness of Amphawa. The market district featured the greatest selection and variety of Thai food I have probably ever seen in one place, including hundreds of different types of Thai sweets and desserts – many of which I tried and enjoyed – sold from crammed riverside stalls and wooden kiosks. Traditional coffee and Thai iced tea, old wooden buildings and shop fronts, lots of vintage furniture and nostalgia shops, etc., and one outrageously narrow little shop selling paper and cloth animal-figure mobiles. It is just wide enough for one person to walk down. The store is jam-packed with two customers and nearly intolerable if an employee is also present. Thankfully the shop’s single employee stayed out in the front of the store, encouraging people to heed the sign above the door in Thai saying ‘please don’t stand in front of the door and take photos of our little shop’. Who could resist? I took two photos.

some great eats at Amphawa Ha Hae

Amphawa has many claims to fame, including having the best sugarcane juice and coconut milk in Thailand. This point shouldn’t be overlooked, for in a country with such a highly cultivated sense of taste, coconut milk especially forms an integral part of many Thai dishes and its world famous curries. So, Amphawa’s coconut milk is the gold standard and the locals spare no effort to produce dozens, hundreds of different kinds of traditional Thai snacks and desserts with it.

We made real efforts to meet real locals, not just merchants from Bangkok who’ve capitalized on Amphawa’s growing popularity to set up shops, but the locals who’ve been there for generations, some of whom actually remember Amphawa as it was in the post-war era. The change took place with the construction of south Bangkok’s major highway program to Petchburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan. Bridges were built, canals closed, road traffic moved from the river-side communities to the new expressways, and Amphawa quickly became a forgotten town from a different era. Though it never lost its stature as a food capital, its floating markets were quickly overshadowed by larger commercial markets such as Damnern Saduak. As one local, Mr Ouan from the Kumpan Restaurant pointed out, the floating market style of trade you see at Amphawa more closely reflects the traditional Thai floating market, in which hawkers would line the banks of canals and sell to local businesses and residents, rather than the modern boat-to-boat versions we see today. Not that one is more authentic than another, but the re-invigorated modern Amphawa certainly retains some nice threads of the past. Mr Ouan then took us a few blocks from the main market street to his family’s wooden house along a wider stretch of the Mae Khlong River. He was a fountain – or river – of knowledge and seemed genuinely intent on making sure we knew how seriously local families are in preserving their native town. This was refreshing. We then met some other local business people manning local shops, photo stalls or ice cream booths, seemingly unfazed by the swarms of visitors around them, and carrying on cheerily on their own terms. It was like meeting members of an unofficial fraternity called Friends of Amphawa. They love where they live and seemed quite thrilled that we liked it too.

fish cakes

Another interesting thing was the lack of western visitors. You could count them on one hand. Again, the presence of western tourists does not by any means diminish the authenticity of the location you’re visiting, but more so the flock of Thais taking part in the weekend festivities can’t help but leave an impression on the visitor that this is a special place, a local place.

Various members of our Smiling Albino team have been back and forth to Amphawa, Mae Khlong and Khlong Kone at the Gulf of Thailand a lot recently in preparation for our cool nostalgia trip called ‘Bangkok 1910′. This vintage excursion is a nice way to enjoy a couple of days experiencing old Bangkok, Chinatown, and also Amphawa, the traditional floating markets, etc.

Now back in Bangkok, I am eager to get back down to Amphawa again. After all we missed the evening market hours and boat paddling excursions that have become popular. Besides, every Thai person I’ve talked to since then has scolded me for not bringing back some of Amphawa’s legendary desserts and snacks. It is as good a reason as any. Be back soon….

by Scott Coates

One of Smiling Albino’s (SA) prime focuses has always been to provide supreme service. From the moment you arrive in the country you’re traveling with us, to the final “goodbye”, we strive to exceed your expectations.

The entire SA Team from those in our Bangkok office that answer your initial emails and phone calls, to the talented people who book the hotels/guides/air tickets/motorbikes/elephants/etc, to the group that hand-produce your customized Adventure Handbook to the guides and Team on the ground who personally host you, we never stop learning, training and trying to make each trip better than the one before it. Hopefully we hit-the-mark and then some!

The Serenade of the Seas

Recently my parents took me on an eight-day Alaska cruise for my birthday. Friends and guests cautioned many times that perhaps I would not like a cruise do to the nature of the trips we lead and our many personal trips that tend to be quite adventures and spontaneous in nature. I must admit the idea of a cruise was semi-appealing but I did wonder if I’d be bored or tire of playing BINGO on the Lido deck.

August 8, 2009: my parents and I arrived at the Ballantyne Pier in Vancouver, BC about 12:30. Our bags out of the taxi, a team of porters were on them and promised they’d be waiting in our staterooms shortly (pre-printed baggage tags with our names/room numbers were provided by mail prior to the cruise).

A speedy line was already in full swing with the 2,400 guests boarding the Serenade of the Seas, a 962ft long ship, part of the Royal Caribbean fleet. A few minutes later and we were guided to a check-in counter, gave an imprint of our credit cards, received a Stateroom Card which opens your room door and is used for charging all purchases during the trip, which you pay at the end. Up the gangway, through US Customs (as we would be visiting ports in Alaska), we scanned our Stateroom Cards at the ship’s door and we were in!

The moment we stepped on board smiles abound, more people said “hello” in those first 15 minutes then in the first 15 years of my life. It seemed the entire Serenade of the Seas crew had taken some serious Happy Pills just minutes before we boarded. We slowly made our way to our staterooms, stopping to “oooh” and “aaaah” at the amazing lobby, many bars, cafés and on and on and on. Upon arrival at Stateroom 3132 our Stateroom Attendant Linda, from Peru, welcomed us and made sure we were happy and settled-in.
I was expecting a small room like you’d get on a train but this was not the case – the room was quite large with a full double bed, love seat and good, small bathroom with shower. Wow!

The next eight-days were thoroughly relaxing in every sense of the word. Being in the travel planning/execution business, I have realized over the last couple years that when I really want to relax, nothing does it better for me than not making decisions or plans. Royal Caribbean totally took care of that department. Wake when you want, eat incredible food literally anytime you want, gaze at amazing scenery from the outside deck chairs or one of the many indoor lounges with huge windows, play pool, BINGO, partake in an art auction, work out in the gym, run outside on the track, try your luck at the casino, take your kids to the Kids Camp and on and on it goes.

Whether we were eating breakfast in the Windjammer Restaurant, snacks in a café or a multi-course, top-drawer, nightly dinner in Reflections, plates were cleared, glasses never empty, second and thirds accommodated (I made a point of eating some beef everyday), crumbs scraped from the table and on it went. There was simply nothing missed. Waiters sang, danced and made sure every meal was not only delicious but an event.

Entertainment was a really neat part of the experience. Every night in the Tropical Theater there was a pre or post-dinner show. Sometimes it was comedy, other times song/dance, magicians, gymnastics, but every night it was something entertaining and a fun way to start the evening. The theatre had a full sound and light system and was world class. Drinks were on offer at any moment too – something I enjoyed – and they had Guinness!

In short, everything on the ship happened like magic and clockwork. I left my room, came back and it was all clean, regardless of time of day or night, with a neat towel animal on the bed. Sit down around the pool and an attendant handed me a towel and took my wet one. Finish a cup of coffee and it’s removed and a new one offered.

Many meals later (too many to mention here), one game of The Weakest Link one evening (which I won), a few sessions in the hot tub, a couple onshore beer in Alaska, a couple workouts and a paperback later and suddenly it was Day 8. How do you get 2,400 people off a boat smoothly? There was a system for this too. On Night 7 everyone received tags for their bags which are color/number coded which you place on your bags and leave outside your room. These tags also tell you the room on the ship to wait to disembark and at what time. Sure enough the system was flawless with us disembarking early, every cruise member said “Goodbye” on the way out, we went through Canadian Customs and there were our bags waiting at the end. Taxis were waiting and we were off.

So, should you or should you not consider a cruise? It’s not for everyone, but is an awesome experience if it’s what you need. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

A glacier at Tracy Arm

Do Go:
•    If you want don’t want to move hotels.
•    If you want to totally relax.
•    If you want to eat as much or as little as you like when you want (they have room service which is free) anytime of day or night.
•    If the purpose of the trip is not to meet locals and experience authentic area experiences.
•    If you like to wake up anytime, roll with it and partake in fun/silly games/events/shows.
•    If you’re traveling with a diverse group and want to be sure there’s something for everyone.
•    If you’d like to see some areas/coastline that you wouldn’t see by car (Alaska being a prime example).

Don’t Go:
•    If you want to get out and explore.
•    If you don’t want to stay put, slow down, and really unwind.
•    If you don’t want to be around other travelers.
•    If you can’t stop yourself from eating (the food on offer is tasty and abundant).
•    If you want to be out and about all the time.

A cruise certainly isn’t for everyone but the service experience Royal Caribbean provided was world-class. From start to finish every detail had been taken care and every need anticipated. The training program must be extensive and the entire crew on the Serenade of the seas gets a huge hats-off from me. I like to think SA offers some of the best service on the planet but there are a few things I learned from this cruise that will be incorporated into the SA experience.

See some photos from my Alaska cruise.

by Scott Coates
Returning to my home city in Canada (Calgary) is always a treat, especially after not being back for two-and-a-half years.
With only a week in town, seeing everyone I hoped to catch up with – family, friends and Smiling Albino (SA) guests is tough. Most times when I return it’s nice to set a venue, date and time where I’ll be and invite everyone to come by. In the past we’ve hosted travel photo shows, an afternoon at a pub and a barbeque. This year SA partner Sue Kuipers suggested hosting a bike ride around the Glenmore Reservoir followed by beers at a pub. Being summer and loving cycling this was the perfect idea.

Diana takes a spill

Saturday August 1 saw SA partners Sue & Todd Kuipers and myself meet at the 1600 Bier Haus (an excellent place with more than 100 different brews available) in Glenmore Landing, right on the edge of the pathway around the Glenmore Reservoir. About 15 people showed up with four children in bike trailers and we hit the paved, 20km trail. With only three meters under her belt, two-time SA adventurer Diana had a minor spill sideways and over a rope fence. There were no injuries and good laughs were had by all. It’s good to get the first accident out of the way early!

We cruised leisurely with a few of us ducking-off the paved path into the woods in the Weaselhead area, an old favorite dirt trail of mine. It had been five years since riding this trail, but nothing had changed and it was as beautiful as ever. One of the best things about Calgary is the incredible pathway system that covers the city and the many small dirt trails that often jut off the main track. It’s wild to be in a city and at the same time be able to ride in the trees, see animals (I spotted a bear many years ago) and be in nature.

We all met rendezvoused again at a small river (Elbow) as it passes under a bridge at the edge of Weaselhead. The kids got their feet wet in the river, learned to skip rocks and we all enjoyed getting off our seats for a bit.

The Team at the start of the ride

I’d never pulled a kid trailer and was keen to give it a try. Sue and Todd trusted me to tow their two children, Gus and Marijka. In fact I think they were rather delighted as the next section involves a good climb up a hill. Let me tell you, despite the kids being two and four-years-old, their weight with the trailer came in at about 30kg and really made for a challenging climb. At the top it was now a gentle cruise through South Glenmore Park and across the Glenmore Reservoir, Calgary’s primary source of drinking water. Another challenging climb (with the trailer in tow) took us to the edge of the Rockyview Hospital and one of my favorite markers anywhere. There’s a bench with a small pillar that commemorates Calgary’s centennial. The inscriptions reads, “May the beauty of nature inspire your direction in life.” I first got into mountain biking on this pathway and this was a favorite stopping point when I lived in the city. I remember reading it and hoping nature would indeed inspire my direction in life. It was neat to read it again, 10 years after moving to Thailand to start a specialized travel company and know that nature plays such and important role in my life.

Enjoying the Elbow River

A few kilometers later we were back at the 1600 Bier Haus with roughly 20km under our belts. It took only a few minutes for everyone to lock their bikes and get into a pint of cold beer. The renovation my friends George, Ari and Ernie have done on this pub is great and it’s truly one of the city’s nicest pubs. They generously threw in some complimentary appetizers and another 10 people joined us for drinks. From an old college friend to a recent SA guest, it was a diverse group of people and great to catch-up with everyone.

While the city of Calgary has grown a lot in the 10 years since I moved to Asia, it was wonderful to see that the pathway around the Glenmore Reservoir is as beautiful as ever. The ride is doable for all riders, views are incredible the entire way around and it was an ideal way to catch-up with friends. Many thanks for everyone who came out and I look forward to seeing you next year!